72 6 The Almoft-Chriftian Difcovcred. Man may have, and yet be ~n Apoftate, H~b. 6. 4· he may not only have a deep knowledge of Gofpel~Myftenes, fo as to fee the whole Compagcs and concatenation of the Dotl:rinc of Chrift, and to unfold them to others ; but may have alfo particular difcoveries of the Glory and Beauty that there is in thefc things. We ' may fee it clearly by Balnam's Ecftafi~~ Numb. 24. Such difcovcries carnal hearts may have made to them, and fee thc1r Luftre and Beauty. Nay further, a carnal Man may be convinced, ~hat tbere.is no other way ?f Recovery but by the Grace of God through the Ments of Cbnft, and of the fu1tablcnefs of Chrifr to his Soul of the FreenCCs of God's Love, of the Riches of his Grace, of the Rcadinefs of hi; Heart to receive them; ?f the _De.~rableneH of Happinefs, of the Beauty of Ho ... liaefl, and yet for all th1s remain m a natural State: But now, not to leave you under doubts and perplexities, fuch a·n 1/luminiition of a carnal Man, falls far fl10rt of true Grace in thcfe Two Particulars. Fir It, ln ~hat it is ~ut Lumtn flerile, a barren light; lllumination 'that is faving is not only L1ght, but Influence too. As the Light of the Sun cloth not ferve only to paint the World, and varnifh over the Beauty and Va1 iety of feveral Creatures that are in it; but carries in it a greatful het~t and cherifhing i.nflumce, w~ich operates into them, and refrcfheth them ; and as the Light dif,overs their Beauty, fo thefe Influences incrcafe it: So faving ~ltumint~tio~, not only zlluftrat~s the Soul by its Light; . but ~ikewife, ·by the Congemalmft of tts influences, nounfhes the Soul, draws Sap m to tt and Fruit froin it. Such is not the lllumination of an unregenerate Man ; it i; but a barren Light, and. onlY ferves to paint his Underftanding, and hath no influence on it to make the Soul groW in Grace, and bring forth the Eruit.s of Holinrft, to the Praife •f G•d. . . . r . . .r . ur Thatl1lummattonthatts1avrngistrans1ormmg, 2Cor.3. t8. ¥Yeall, asinaGiafs behold the Glory of the Lord, t~nd are changtd into the {t~me Image, &c. If a Be3.m of the Sun falls upon a Looking-glafs, it not only makes it gtirttr with a glorious Light, but it reprefcnts the vel y Image of the Sun in the qtafs ;, but le.t it beat never fo clearly and ftrongly upon a Mud-Wall, though tt enlightens tt, yet it doth nm thereby le:we its Image 11pon it. So truly Illumination, that is faving doth not cnly irrad~~ttc, but transform. If you look upon the Sun, when fhining in its ftrength, the Li ght thereof will imprint the very Shape and Image of the Sun upon your Bye ; a~ld look where you will, frill you retain the appearance of the Sun before you : So every fight that a true Chriftian hath of the Sun of Righteoufnefs, will make as it were another Sun in his Soul. But now the Illuminatiou of wicked Mtn doth only enlighten, not chauge them ; their VntJ.crftandings mt~y be irradiated with glorious D~(coveries of God, Chrift , and the Things of Heaven ; but this doth not transforroo,hem into the Image and Likenefs of thofc Things. The Illumination of godly 'Men and true Chriftians, is like the Light which breaks through the Air, and turns every vaft Body throughout the \Vorld all into Light. It is with wicked, unreeenerate Men, as with thofe that lie long in the Sun·fuine; which though it inlightens them, yet doth but afterwards make them more black and fwarthy. So thou may'ft have as n:uch notional Knowledge of God, Chrift, and the Myfrcries of the Gofpel as any Chrld of God hath, and poffibly much more, yet this is no true Sign of Grace; for this Knowledge is not therefore faving, becaufe it is clear and ccmprehcnfive, but becaufe it is influential and transforming. And ufnall y,we perceive that where the Light of Knowledge Ihines into a wicked Heart, it doth but tann and make the Perfon more black and fwarthy, more finful than before : Thus, as to the direff Vnderftanding of the Judgment, a natural Man may - have a bright, clear, and glittering Light concerning Heavenly and fpiritual Objells. Secondly, As for the Reflex Vnderftanding of the Confcience. Neither yet the Peace nor the Trouble of Confcience, is fuch an Attainment to which<), natural Man cannot reach. Firft 7 A nar-urt~l Man may h:1ve a '}Uiet and peaceAble Confcience. Indeed when this Peace is true, it is always an ctfeB: of Grace; and therefore we thus find them coupled together, Rom. 1. ?· 1 Cor. 1. 3· Yet there is that which looks very like Peace of Coufcience though it be not fuch, and that is a fupine Prefumption and a carnal Stupidity and Ofcitancy: Their Confciences are never troubled at the fight of Sin, or fcofe of Wrath; but are like thofe prefumptuous Sinners fpoken of Dtut.
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